The present invention relates to ring binders generally, and particularly to ring binders having a plurality of rings arranged on hinged plates or "leaves".
Known ring binder mechanisms have a pair of hinged plates or leaves clapped around their outer side edges by a thin metallic shield having an arquet exposed surface. Three rings are attached to the hinged leaves, each ring comprising two ring halves with base ends connected to the leaves and distal free ends which mate together when the rings are closed. These ring binder mechanisms are referred to in the trade as "ring metals" which are attached, usually by rivets, to a cardboard stock binder cover or the like. Such a ring metal is disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,116,157; 5,135,323; 5,348,412; and 5,286,128.
However, in the above type ring binder, the hinged leaves become inverted when moving between the closed ring to open ring orientation, and vise versa. In the closed ring orientation, the leaves are angled downwardly away from a center of the shield. The resilient force of the shield urges the rings closed by applying force to the downwardly angled leaves, and this force must be overcome to open the rings i.e., by inverting the angle between the leaves.